


The Mantiqueen Menace

by GoddessTiera



Series: Five times Grimm was there for Nova, and one time he wasn't. [3]
Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, F/M, Serious Injuries, adreno leaves scars for no other reason than they are incredibly sexy. don't at me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 17:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30042225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoddessTiera/pseuds/GoddessTiera
Summary: A hunt goes very wrong.
Relationships: Female Captain/Grimm (The Outer Worlds)
Series: Five times Grimm was there for Nova, and one time he wasn't. [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995784
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	The Mantiqueen Menace

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 in the series Shoutout to @joufancyhuh for the best additional tag and the title cuz naming things is the worst. lol

‘Hey Captain, you got a sec?”

Nova turned from where she was writing Grimm at her terminal to Nyoka’s entrance into her quarters.

“What’s up?”

“I’ve been asked to take care of a problem mantiqueen and I could use some backup.”

Nova paused. It was technically their day off and mantiqueens were second only to primals in the Things-Nova-would-like-to-avoid list but she wasn’t one to refuse help to her friends and she couldn’t let Nyoka go alone.

“Sure, we can take a little detour. We will see if we can convince one of the others to come too. Just let ADA know where we are headed. Wait, where are we headed?

Nyoka just smiled at her and as she turned to leave, called back over her shoulder, “Stellar Bay.”

**********************

“Grimm!” 

As soon as the lift reached the ground, Nova was throwing herself into Grimm’s waiting arms, squealing in delight as he swung her around in a circle.

Nyoka just rolled her eyes at the couple but the corner of her mouth turned up, just a bit.

“Guess what?”

“What?”

“Mr. Sanjar somehow found out what you guys were doing today and it may have been suggested that he send someone to help you guys and I may have volunteered.”

Nova squealed in delight. She and Grimm never got to see each other as much as they wanted and the prospect of getting to spend time together, even working, was wonderful news.

“I'm not gonna turn down another gun. Glad to have you, Grimm.” Nyoka patted him on the shoulder as she walked by, heading into town. “I need to refill my ammo. Meet me by the gate.” 

****************************************

"So what's the plan?" asked Grimm.

Nyoka stopped and turned towards him. "When we find it, we split up and surround her. Should keep her confused and distracted. Takes a lot of bullets to bring one down and with only three of us we have to be smart about it."

"Why are there only three of us? Where are the others?"

“That one’s on Nova.”

Nova sighed. "I had already promised everyone a day off and no one was willing to give it up." 

Sighing again, she held out her left hand, tapping each finger with her right pointer as she listed off her crew. “Max wanted to catch up on some reading, Felix had a date, Parvati was working on some upgrades to the ship, ADA insisted that SAM clean her terminal, don't ask, and Ellie straight up laughed in my face. Almost punched her." The last part was said almost affectionately, as she shook her head and smiled.

Nova and Ellie had a weird relationship and Grimm had yet to decide if they were friends or not. It seemed to vary from day to day. Or maybe he just didn't get their friendship.

“Come on you two, less chatter,” scolded Nyoka who had already started walking again. “You’re gonna announce our arrival to everything in a two mile radius.”

“Yes ma’am,” they replied in unison. This time it was Nyoka who sighed.

*******************************************************

Their plan worked perfectly, at first. Attacks coming from three directions kept the mantiqueen confused and she kept spinning around, never getting too close to any of them until Nova’s gun jammed.

As soon as her shots stopped, the queen spun around and charged at her.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Nova turned to run, scrambling to get her shotgun off her back but it was too late. She tried to dodge the attack but the creature was too fast, swinging its clawed arm, slicing her across the back and knocking her to the ground. She didn’t move.

“NOVA!!!” screamed Grimm. 

Without thinking, he sprinted towards them and threw his armored body over Nova. The mantiqueen raised her claw again but a well-aimed shot from Nyoka blew a chunk of the arm off. The creature screeched in pain and rage and turned toward her, Grimm and Nova now forgotten. 

"Get her out of here," she ordered and Grimm wasted no time in complying, scooping up Nova and bolting to the relative safety of a nearby rock formation. He could hear Nyoka scream followed by a hailstorm of bullet fire. He hoped she would be okay by herself but Nova was his focus right now. He lay her gently down on her stomach and cut away the rest of her ruined jacket and shirt. 

The wound was nasty, and blood was pouring from it and a gash on her forehead but he had to push away the fear for her and focus. He slid into his training seamlessly and grabbed Nova’s med kit out of her bag. 

He stared down in horror as he realized she only had one adreno for her emergency medical inhaler. Dammit Nova. How could she not have checked her supply before going after a mantiqueen?!

He used it and after what seemed an agonizing eternity, he could see the bleeding begin to slow. He needed to get her back to town as soon as possible but at least she was out of immediate danger. 

He dressed her wound with gauze to keep it clean and dared to peek around the rock just as Nyoka finally brought the thing down. The second it hit the ground she came running towards them.

“How is she?”

“She only had enough adreno to get her halfway. Do you have any more?”

“I got one. Didn’t have enough for another after ammo. I get paid after it's done. Don’t wanna pay me and then have me die.”

He hit her with it and then gently scooped her into his arms.

“Let’s go.”

********************************

They made it back to town in half the time it had taken them to get there. They considered taking her to the doc in town but ultimately decided to return to the Unreliable and Ellie’s care.

“Ellie!” Nyoka screamed up the stairs as she had Grimm follow her up them to the mess. Ellie’s head popped out of her room as they reached the top and her eyes widened at the sight of a lifeless Nova in Grimm’s arms. 

“What the fuck happened?”

“Mantiqueen got her good and we only had two adreno. She has a nasty gash on her head too. I think she hit it on something when she went down.”

“Goddammit Nova!” Ellie had reminded her before they left to get more but clearly she had forgotten. She could tell you every detail about every hunk of junk she collected but couldn’t remember to have enough medical supplies on hand.

“Lay her on the table.”

She dug around in her med bag and pulled out two more adreno and loaded them into her inhaler.

“Grimm, get me something to clean her up with. Nyoka, go grab a blanket to cover her up. I’ll get these bloody clothes off her.”

*************

She had just finished washing the last of the blood off her skin when Nova’s eyes finally opened.

Grimm, who had been sitting next to her, holding her hand, noticed first.

“Nova! You’re awake! How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been trampled by a herd of primals.”

“Just one mantiqueen and you are lucky to still be breathing, although you are gonna be sporting a nasty new scar as a reminder.”

“I’m touched by your concern, Ellie Bellie.”

Ellie, for once, ignored the hated nickname. “What were you thinking going out with that few adreno?!”

Nova winced at her tone. 

“Can we not yell? I’ve got a splitting headache.”

“That’s because you cracked your head on something and probably have a concussion.”

“You are welcome to chew me out later but please can we not do this now?”

Ellie wanted to scream, No! We are doing this now, but one look at Nova and all the fight went out of her. Even with the adreno, her body had been through a traumatic injury and it had left her drained and with a brand new scar as a reminder of it forever. She sighed.

“Just get some rest. Grimm can carry you to bed, “ she replied before she walked back to her room and shut the door.

She turned to Grimm, who had remained silent through all of that. “You ok?” she asked tentatively.

“Let’s get you to bed.”

The nonanswer bugged her but she let it go, wrapping the blanket around her and letting him scoop her into his arms. They remained silent for the short trip to her room and he set her down on her bed. He turned and she reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Don’t go,” she whispered. 

He squeezed her hand with his. ”I need to take my armor back and report in. I’ll be back right after.”

She nodded in understanding, immediately regretting the movement and lay down to wait.

**************************

She was asleep by the time he returned but his approaching footsteps woke her.

“Grimm?” she called out, her voice heavy with sleep.

“I’m here.” He sat down at the edge of her bed and took her hand, interlacing their fingers.

She waited for him to say something and when he finally did, it was almost too quiet to hear.

“Please don’t do that to me again.”

“It’ll take more than a mantiqueen to take me out,” she said, chuckling. Grimm didn’t find it funny.

“Dammit Nova!” he shouted, causing Nova to jump slightly. It was the first time she had ever heard him raise his voice and she couldn’t keep her shock from showing. He sighed heavily and stood up before continuing much softer. “You almost died and I couldn’t do anything. I feel like I failed you.”

“Is that how you see it?” She wrapped the blanket around her and stood to wrap her arms around him. “No, Grimm. We were going hunting today no matter what. You going with us is the only reason I’m no worse off than a nasty new scar on my back. You SAVED me.”

She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand and he covered it with his own, holding it in place.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he whispered as he wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her tight.

She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t promise him she wouldn’t be in danger again, that she wouldn’t get hurt again. That wasn’t something anyone could promise. 

“I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.” 

She remained quiet, instead leaning forward and kissing him, pouring everything she couldn’t say into it.

His hand dropped from holding hers against his cheek to her waist and pulling her even tighter against him. Her arms snaked their way around his neck as she deepened the kiss, her tongue sliding between his lips.

The blanket slipped away as his hands slowly slid up her naked back until his fingertips accidentally brushed against the raw skin of her scar and she winced, pulling away from him slightly and effectively dumping a bucket of cold water on him as he was brought back to reality.

“Shit!” he cursed, dropping his arms and stepping back from her. “I’m sorry.”

He bent down and retrieved the blanket for her, carefully wrapping it back around her naked body. “You are supposed to be resting. Doctor’s orders.”

She wanted to argue but he was right. Now wasn’t the time for that. “Will you stay?”

“As you wish.”

He helped her get settled in bed and kissed her forehead before taking a seat on the floor. He’d slept in worst positions.

“You can sleep in the bed. It’d be tight but we could make it work.”

“Nova…” he started to argue with her, remind her she was injured but one look in her eyes and he froze. He could see the fear hiding behind them, mirroring the fear he had felt. She didn’t want to be alone. “Move over.”

She smiled in relief and shifted so he could climb in bed behind her, his back pressed against the wall. She turned to face him, using his arm as a pillow, and snuggled into his chest. He carefully wrapped his other arm around her waist, mindful of her scar.

His legs were a little cramped but the feeling of her in his arms, pressed up against him far outweighed any discomfort he felt.

“Goodnight Nova.”

“Goodnight Grimm.”

Nova was asleep almost immediately. The safety and warmth of Grimm was too soothing to fight. He on the other hand, lay awake a bit longer just holding her as she slept, reminding himself that she was fine. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her smell until the rhythmic sound of her breathing lulled him finally to sleep. It was the best night’s sleep either of them had ever had.


End file.
